Taste Test: A Review of Jollibee's JolliBrews Coffee Shop

(SPOT.ph) A fast food chain is where we go when we need a quick fix, a budget-friendly meal during petsa de peligro, or when we're craving something nostalgic because their bestsellers are what we grew up with. But specialty coffee in a fast food chain? This coffee shop-inside-a-fast-food-chain experience isn't completely unheard of but it is still quite rare.

Most recently, Jollibee, one of the biggest fast-food chains in the Philippines, took its JolliBrews coffee shop concept on a trial run at one of their Bonifacio Global City branches. A first of its kind for the fast-food giant, it features an entirely different menu from its fast-food offerings, serving only specialty coffee, appetizers, and savory snacks.

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Jollibee conducts a trial run on JolliBrews coffee shop concept

Tucked in the corner of 39th Street and Triangle Drive in Bonifacio Global City is the sole Jollibee branch that hides the first JolliBrews. It's not a standalone store with fancier interiors similar to a coffee shop; it is a standalone stall or kiosk that greets you as you enter the two-story Jollibee establishment.

It is worth mentioning that JolliBrews serves its food and drinks in a more premium-looking dining ware. The dishes are served in two-toned plates and bowls, the drinks are poured into double-walled cups and mugs, and the silverware comes with wooden handles. Even if I think the double-walled drinkware is a bit of a throwback, I appreciate the efforts to replicate a coffee shop experience inside a fast-food chain.

JolliBrews' menu is limited to nine items and it consists of four kinds of coffee, savory appetizers and snacks, and a dessert. The full menu for JolliBrews (trial run) is as follows:

• Croissant: P120/piece
• New York Cheesecake: P160/slice
• Americano: P110/Hot, P115/Iced
• Cappuccino: P120/Hot
• Sea Salt Cream Latte: P130/Iced
• Spanish Latte: P120/Hot, P125/Iced
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap: P165
• Chicken Tomato and Mozzarella Sandwich: P195
• Sardine and Garlic Pasta: P210

Even if Jollibee was pretty low-key about the JolliBrews trial run (FYI: There were no announcements on their official Facebook page), all it took was one or two posts for it to go viral on social media. So it didn't take long before queues started to form at JolliBrews. I mean, I went there on a payday Friday, during snack or merienda time, and I was lucky enough to get the last Chicken Tomato and Mozzarella Sandwich—but not that lucky to have experienced their Croissant and Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap, which by then had run out.

The news of a Jollibee coffee shop came to light during the first week of September, and I was told this small-scale trial runs only until September 22 (Sunday). As of writing, there's no word if the JolliBrews trial run will extend beyond its appointed last day at the BGC branch, or if it will roll out across more branches to see what  reception will be like in other areas. 

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What do the JolliBrews items taste like?

If you want to try most of the JolliBrews items, go during breakfast time or before the lunchtime crowd comes in. Like I said, I was able to order everything on the menu except for the wrap and croissant, and here's what I thought of each JolliBrews item:

New York Cheesecake (P160): It was love at first sight and love at first bite. The cheesecake looks and feels dense and velvety, and melts almost like sweet-tangy ice cream in the mouth. Considering its P160 price tag, JolliBrews's plain New York Cheesecake is not bad at all and it can go on a head-to-head battle with cheesecakes in the same price range.

I can't tell if it's a costing issue or not but I do find it rather interesting that Jollibee didn't go with blueberry, strawberry, Oreo, caramel- or chocolate-drizzled cheesecake for the trial run—almost every cafe and dessert shop has its version of these variants. But as someone who likes her cheesecakes plain, I hope they will still have this no-frills, no-fuss option should the Bee decide to push through with the JolliBrews concept and offer different cheesecake flavors.

Chicken Tomato & Mozzarella Sandwich (P195): Sure, I felt lucky getting the last Chicken Tomato & Mozzarella Sandwich but is it better than getting none at all? The focaccia bread had a nice golden crust but I ended up turning the sandwich into an open-face one, for easier chewing—which made me appreciate the tart mayonnaise dressing, sweet caramelized onions, chunky chicken pieces, juicy tomato slices, greens, and the generous amount of melted cheese.

This had the makings of a really good sandwich—one that I would pay P195 for. But— and since this is just a trial run—I would recommend more time on the R&D drawing board, if only to make the bread a little more chew friendly.    

Sardine & Garlic Pasta (P210): The noodles could have used three to five minutes more in the boiling water, but I ended up not minding that at all because everything else about this dish was good. It didn't hold out on the sardines—there were a few substantial pieces of it on top of the pasta along with the garlic, olives, and tomatoes; it was spicy enough for my tolerance; it wasn't as oily as I expected it to be; and it came in a pretty sizable portion.

Coffee: I could taste the coffee more when I tried the hot Americano (P110) and Cappuccino (P120). The coffee had a darker roast which is average on its own if you like your coffee unsweetened, but should you have a sweet tooth, you can always add in a sachet of sugar. Don't worry, no one's going to judge you for it—at least I won't!

As a longtime member of Team Iced Coffee, I thought the Iced Spanish Latte (P125) and the Sea Salt Cream Latte (P130) could use a little more flavor, but this could easily be fixed by a little less ice or a little less milk, so the coffee taste could assert itself more. But there are aspects I liked about both drinks: the Iced Spanish Latte wasn't cloyingly sweet as how most coffee shops serve it, and the Sea Salt Cream Latte had an addicting salty cream on top of the milky iced coffee.

I just wish the cream in the Sea Salt Cream could be lighter, foamier. The "proper" or recommended way to drink this type of coffee is to sip the cream first before the coffee, but because the cream was on the thick side and was solidifying as a reaction to the ice, it would be best to just scoop it and enjoy. 

People were quick to raise their eyebrows at JolliBrews for using an automated coffee machine for their specialty coffee. But Raphael Reyes, Marketing and Community Relations of local coffee shop Basilio Coffee, says it's largely a non-issue. "The brewing method, whether filter or espresso, doesn't change that it's specialty coffee, but it does affect the taste and experience," he says.

"Specialty coffee is a marketing strategy, rather than a ploy, it's one way of putting up the prices at farm gate and the cup. Let's reverse the concept: When you say one is not specialty [coffee], what is our basis? Is it the grade, the taste, the experience?" He adds, "At the end of the day, coffee is a drink of preference, if it's a grade 89, but you don't like it, then it's not specialty for you."

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Final verdict: Is JolliBrews all it's hyped up to be?

This trial run leaves room for improvement, not least in their line of specialty coffee. If you want to experience the cafe for yourself, then here are my JolliBrews recommendations: Spanish Latte for coffee, Sardine & Garlic Pasta for savory eats, and the New York Cheesecake for dessert.

I think it is high time for Jollibee to have its own premium coffee experience, and I do wish Jollibee pushes through with the JolliBrews concept: hopefully with an improved version of the menu offerings, and hopefully with more branches.

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